The cables are said to be transmission media or communication channels of the network. The cables are used to connect two or more computers in the network.

Network Cables:

• Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable (UTP cable)
• Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable
• Coaxial Cable
• Fiber Optic Cable

Twisted-Pair Wire - The cable has four pairs of wires inside the jacket. Each pair is twisted with a different number of twists per inch. 

They are used for both voice and data transmission. Cat 1 to Cat 5 is the different categories and the RJ-45 connector is used to connect a cable.

Coaxial Cable - Coaxial cabling has a single copper conductor at its center. A plastic layer provides insulation between the center conductor and a braided metal shield. Transmission speed range from 200 million to more than 500 million bits per second.

Fiber Optics - Fiber optic cabling consists of a center glass core surrounded by several layers of protective materials. It transmits light rather than electronic signals eliminating the problem of electrical interference. Transmission speed could go up to as high as trillions of bits per second.